This Mama Cooks! On a Diet™

Valentine’s Day: Flourless Chocolate Torte with Crème Anglaise #glutenfree

2012-02-08T21:48:05Z

Just because you eat gluten free, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a Valentine’s Day dessert. This decadent treat comes from the new cookbook, Straight from the Heart, by Taos chef and owner of Graham’s Grille, Lesley B. Fay.

Her 224-page cookbook includes recipes for appetizers, soups, salads and dressings, sandwiches, entrees and desserts; butters and spices and resources, shortcuts and tips.

Lesley’s flourless cake stands out due to its unique combination of espresso and merlot wine. Make sure to double check that ingredients like baking powder and vanilla are gluten free. The cake is best if it’s made the day before. Since it makes 16 cakes, you can put a few aside for midnight munchies after the fun on Valentine’s Day (hint, hint) or for the kids.

Flourless Chocolate Torte with Crème Anglaise

Makes 16 individual cakes.

Ingredients:

2 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 pound butter, softened and divided in half
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup espresso or strong coffee
1/2 cup merlot wine
1 cup sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon xanthan gum
pinch salt
3 eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or coarsely chopped bar) sugar and cocoa powder for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt the semisweet chocolate with half the butter, and mix in the vanilla, espresso and merlot. In a separate bowl, cream the rest of butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until light yellow and smooth (about 5 minutes on high speed).
Mix together the cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Add these dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture to butter and sugar, alternating, and mixing well after each addition.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg, about 1 minute. Add semisweet chocolate chips. Pour into buttered cupcake tins or paper holders that have been sprinkled with sugar and cocoa powder.
Place a large open container of bowling water on the bottom rack of the oven. The stream helps cook the cakes and keeps them moist. Bake cakes on rack above the boiling water for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, open oven door and let rest for another 8 to 10 minutes. They should rise and be medium-soft to the touch. The trick here is to cook them long enough so they don’t fall, but not so long that they are dry.
Serve each cake in a puddle of Crème Anglaise. Garnish with fresh raspberries or a ribbon of lime (optional).

Crème Anglaise

Makes two cups.

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pinch nutmeg
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients:

In a heat-resistant mixing bowl, stir together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg with a wooden spoon until well combined. The sugar should be somewhat dissolved in the yolks. Combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat and warm the milk just below the boiling point (the milk will start to form bubbles on the edges of the pan and it will become steamy just before it boils).
Remove the pan from the heat and stir just a couple of tablespoons of the hot milk into the eggs and sugar, mixing well the whole time. Gradually add the rest of the milk, stirring constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan over low to medium heat. Heat the sauce until it thickens, but do not boil or the yolks will curdle. The sauce is done when it stays on the wooden spoon without dripping (this takes about five minutes but will depend on your pan and your burner). As soon as the sauce is thickened, immediately remove it from the heat.
Pour the sauce into a heat-resistant bowl (you can pour the sauce through a strainer to remove any lumps).
Stir the vanilla extract and cover the sauce with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down on top of the sauce, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Picture courtesy of Lesley B. Fay.

Valentine’s Day: Flourless Chocolate Torte with Crème Anglaise #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Healthy Super Bowl snacks and calorie swaps

2012-02-03T04:05:40Z

Did you know that Americans consume more calories during the Super Bowl than nearly any other day during the year – second only to Thanksgiving?

That’s why Rachel Berman, RD, CSR, CD/N, the Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com (where I get the nutritional info for many of my recipes) is offering up some tips on how to cut back and stay healthy this Super Bowl Sunday.

Cut back on saturated fat

Add more beans instead of meat to a chili recipe.
Use reduced-fat cheese for nachos.
Swap no fat Greek yogurt for sour cream when making dips and spreads.
Make a healthier version of chicken wings by baking chicken tenders that are lightly seasoned with your favorite spices – and serve reduced fat blue cheese.

Skip the chips

Serve a big platter of veggies like like jicama, artichoke hearts, radishes, mushrooms, and grilled asparagus. Pair with hummus, salsa or a yogurt dip.
Make a healthier version of chips by slicing whole-wheat pitas or tortillas into wedges and then lightly toasting these in the oven

Eliminate excess calories

Beer, even light beer, can pack on the calories. It can also lead to mindless munching. Keep track of how much you drink and steer clear of any specialty cocktails prepared with juice or soda.
When it’s time for kick-off, relax and enjoy the celebration – but keep an eye on portion size and make a plate of food when hungry instead of grazing throughout the day.

Go to CalorieCount.com for great game day recipes

Mango Salsa (41 calories, 0g fat)
Tomato & Basil Pita Pizzas (199 calories, 2g fat)
Cucumber Dip (5 calories, 0g fat)
Taco Cups (137 calories, 2g fat)
Rosemary Cheese Biscuits (131 calories, 5g fat)
Oven-Fried Onion Rings (79 calories, 4g fat)
Chicken Taquitos (159 calories, 5g fat)
Broiled Buffalo Chicken (218 calories, 8g fat)

Check out This Mama Cooks! On a Diet’s Super Bowl, healthy snacks and party food recipes, too!

Healthy Super Bowl snacks and calorie swaps is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Healthy Super Bowl snacks: Black Bean-Avocado Salsa with Home-Baked Tortilla Chips

2012-02-03T03:06:56Z

Manly food doesn’t have to be meaty, greasy and covered with cheese! Considering that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer for men in the US, it’s time to make a change starting in the kitchen this Super Bowl Sunday.

That’s why CanolaInfo.org came up with their Heart-Healthy Dude Food Recipe Collection. It contains 10 hearty but healthy recipes made with canola oil like Deep, Dark and Stout Chili and Fall-Apart Beer Brisket that are perfect for game day parties.

Here’s another Heart-Healthy Dude Food recipe that is sure to be a winner during Sunday’s game!

Black Bean-Avocado Salsa with Home-Baked Tortilla Chips

Recipe courtesy of CanolaInfo

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

6 6 inch soft corn tortillas
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 ripe medium avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
1 medium tomatillo, papery skin removed, rinsed and diced
1 large jalapeno chili pepper, finely chopped (seeded, if desired)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 can (15 oz) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Stack tortillas and cut into eight equal triangles (48 wedges total). Put triangles in single layer on two baking sheets. Drizzle triangles with canola oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper. Bake for 10 minutes or until chips are light brown and beginning to crisp. Remove from oven, place baking sheets on cooling racks, sprinkle evenly with 1/4 tsp salt and cool completely (about 10 minutes). As chips cool, they will become crisper. Store in airtight container up to 24 hours for peak flavor and texture.
Meanwhile, combine avocado, tomatillo, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, black beans, canola oil, lime juice, vinegar and salt in medium bowl. Serve with tortilla chips.

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Nutrition Grade NA from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 3

Servings: 6 servings

Serving size: 1/3 cup salsa, 8 chips
Calories: 130
Total Fat: 10g
Saturated fat: 1g
Unsaturated fat: 8g
Sodium: 200mg
Total Carbohydrates: 9g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Help CanolaInfo raise money for the American Heart Association

The recipe collection is part of CanolaInfo’s efforts to raise money for the American Heart Association during American Heart Month 2012. They’ve also launched an American Heart Month e-card program.

From now until the end of February, for every e-card sent at CanolaInfo.org, CanolaInfo will donate 20 cents to the American Heart Association up to $20,000. Their hope is to help the AHA reach their goal to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent – and to do this by 2020.

To learn more about the benefits of using canola oil in your cooking, go to CanolaInfo.org. You can also connect with them on Twitter and Facebook.

Picture courtesy of CanolaInfo.

Don't forget that you can save any of the recipes you see here at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet to an online recipe box by clicking the Save Recipe button below.

Healthy Super Bowl snacks: Black Bean-Avocado Salsa with Home-Baked Tortilla Chips is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Rachael Ray’s Greek Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad with Pita Bread {Ziploc giveaway} #Ziploc #FreshOver

2012-02-03T17:05:16Z

Recipe: Rachael Ray’s Greek Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad with Pita Bread
Recipe prepared by: Anne-Marie Nichols, Photo taken by: Anne-Marie Nichols

Have you had a chance to check out Rachael Ray’s FreshOver Recipe Guide on the Ziploc Facebook page? You can “like” the Ziploc Brand’s page and download Rachael’s exclusive FreshOver Recipe Guide. With every download, up to a maximum of 50,000 downloads, between 1/1/12 and 12/31/13, Ziploc^® Brand will make a $1 donation to the organization on the fans behalf, for up to a maximum $50,000 donation. To further support Yum-O!, Rachael Ray and Ziploc will donate an additional $200,000 during the same time period, no matter how many guides are downloaded.

I’ve been enjoying Ziploc and Rachael’s “freshed over” recipes for several reasons – they’re healthy and nutritious, easy to prepare, and delicious. I was especially excited to try the Greek Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad on my family. We all love Greek flavors like olives and feta. Plus, I knew the kids would love it because the chicken and salad is served in pita bread. It’s a really fun way to get your kids to eat healthy salad and vegetables. Plus, if you can find whole wheat pitas and reduced fat feta, even better!

Ziploc Brand Containers make recipe prep easy

With school and afterschool activities, sometimes we don’t get home until dinner time. While this recipe doesn’t take much time to put together once your prep is done, the prep itself is a bit extensive – lots of chopping and measuring. So I got everything ready the day before by making the dressing and chopping the vegetables and herbs, and storing them in Ziploc Brand Twist ’n Loc Containers. These containers also came in handy to bring leftovers to school and work.

You can save additional time by buying already chopped lettuce and crumbled feta cheese, instead of block feta cheese.

Recipe: Rachael Ray’s Greek Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad with Pita Bread Recipe prepared by: Anne-Marie Nichols, Photo taken by: Anne-Marie Nichols

Rachael Ray’s Greek Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad with Warm Pita Bread for Wrapping

Yield 4 servings - Level Easy

Prep 15 minutes - Cook 10 minutes

Total 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders
Salt and pepper
8 pita breads
1 ripe lemon, zested and juiced
3 tablespoon red wine vinegar, eyeball it
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano, 4 stems, stripped of leaves and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 hearts Romaine lettuce, chopped
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 seedless or English cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Directions:

Preheat grill pan over high heat. Place chicken in shallow dish and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Wrap pita breads in foil. Place in warm oven and heat until dinner is served.
Combine lemon zest, juice and vinegar in a bowl and whisk in oil. Add oregano, garlic and whisk again to combine into dressing. Pour half the dressing over chicken tenders. Turn tenders in dressing to coat.
Combine remaining salad ingredients in a bowl. Pour remaining dressing over salad and toss well. The salad should be very lightly dressed. Season salad with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter.
Grill tenders 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer hot tenders to the salad lined serving platter. Remove pitas from oven and unwrap. Cut pitas in half and arrange around the edge of platter.
To serve, each person can pile grilled chicken and veggies into pita halves, wrap up on either side and enjoy!

Win a Ziploc Brand Prize Pack!

This prize pack includes kitchen gadgets, accessories for trips to a farmer’s market or an eating fresh gift pack with Rachael Ray’s Look + Cook cookbook, worth about $120.

How to enter to win:

In the comments below, tell me which recipe you want to try out from Rachael and Ziploc’s Recipe Guide.
Sign up for This Mama Cooks! Review’s RSS feed for ONE additional entry.
Sign up for my e-newsletter for ONE additional entry.
Spread the word about this giveaway by submitting a link to this post on Twitter for ONE additional entry. You must leave a link to your tweet in your comment so I can check.
Follow @amnichols on Twitter for ONE additional entry.

If you have done any of these additional activities you MUST come back here and leave a comment telling me what you did. I will be checking!

The giveaway begins on February 3, 2012 at 12:00 a.m. PST and ends on February 8, 2012 at 5 p.m. PST.

Click here for the Ziploc Giveaway Official Rules

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Disclosure: I have partnered with Ziploc^® and am being compensated for my posts. However, my opinions on the product are my own.

Featured at Jennifer Cooks Fusion Friday

Rachael Ray’s Greek Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad with Pita Bread {Ziploc giveaway} #Ziploc #FreshOver is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Five reasons why I love avocados #iloveavocados

2012-01-31T18:08:46Z

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocados from Mexico. All opinions are 100% mine.

Why do I love avocados?

They’re super healthy for you. Avocados are high in healthy monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, which is the “good” fat found in olive oil. Avocados are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and copper. Plus, half of a medium avocado has more potassium than a banana.
It goes without saying that avocados are delicious even when eaten plain. My favorite way to eat an avocado is to slice one in half and then remove the pit. Then I sprinkle on a little garlic salt, and eat it with a demitasse spoon. Heaven!
My kids love avocados. One of their favorite healthy snacks is an avocado sandwich. Take two pieces of whole grain bread. Layer slices of avocado on one piece and mash it down with a fork so it sticks to the bread. Cover with the piece of bread, slice in half, and serve. You can add a little garlic salt to the avocado if you like. They often make this snack on their own when I have avocados in the house.
Avocados make for healthy party food. Add it to sandwiches, burgers, salads, and soups. Or make some yummy guacamole.
Avocados are versatile. You can make avocado smoothies. Or take an avocado, mash it up with some eggs whites and honey, and use it as a homemade beauty mask for dry skin.

Show your love of avocados

If you’re an avocado aficionado, check out the I love avocados on Facebook page to download either a ring tone, virtual gift, or a cool screen saver like the gorgeous guacamole picture above. It's super simple. Just go to the page and click on the download button of whatever activity you'd like to do. If you’re a blogger, show your avocado love by copying a fun badge like this one below and adding it to your site. Just click on the embed button and copy and paste the code into your sidebar.

If you’re on Twitter, connect with Avocados from Mexico by following @guacgrl and tweet the I love avocados hashtag #iloveavocados to show how much you love them!

Five reasons why I love avocados #iloveavocados is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Can straightening your teeth improve your health?

2012-01-30T21:05:26Z

We all know that going through a teeth straightening treatment like Invisalign or traditional braces improves your appearance. However, did you know that having straighter teeth can also improve your overall health?

Malocclusion

When your teeth are improperly aligned in your mouth it creates what dentists and orthodontists call “malocclusion.” Left untreated, malocclusion can lead to periodontal disease, stress on teeth and jaws, and premature wear of your teeth.

Crowding - If you have crowded teeth, it’s more difficult to brush and floss properly. This may cause gum inflammation and periodontal disease. In turn, it can lead to soft tissue damage, receding gums, the formation of pockets between teeth and gums, bone loss, and eventually tooth loss.

My husband has crowded teeth and has had to undergo painful gum scrapings in the past. To prevent gum disease, he gets his teeth professionally cleaned four times instead of twice a year. He also makes sure to brush and floss several times a day and uses a dental water flosser on a daily basis. He makes a lot of effort to make sure his teeth and gums are healthy. However, it’s a lot of work and something many people aren’t willing to do.

Spacing between teeth - If you have wide spaces between your teeth, food may lodge between your teeth and cause sore, tender gums, which could result in periodontal disease.

Deep bite - If you have a deep bite, your over-erupted lower front teeth can damage your palate. Also, a deep bite can cause premature wear and chipping of the lower front teeth.

The benefits of straight, properly aligned teeth

Properly aligned teeth are easier to brush and floss than crowded or crooked teeth. Properly positioned teeth can help gums “fit” more tightly around them, which may lead to better periodontal health. Since you’re able to brush and floss more effectively, the chances of having plaque build up, tooth decay, and periodontal disease can be reduced.

Properly aligned teeth also mean that you reduce the risk of expensive procedures required to repair the effects of abnormal force, such as tooth chipping, breaking, or wear. There’s also less stress on your jaw joints when your teeth are properly aligned.

Dental health affects overall health

According to the Mayo Clinic, your oral health may contribute to various diseases and conditions.

Gum disease may allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. If you have a weak immune system or a damaged heart valve, this can cause infection in other parts of the body such as endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart.
Some research suggests that cardiovascular disease, clogged arteries and stroke may be linked to oral bacteria, possibly due to chronic inflammation from periodontitis.
Gum disease has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
Osteoporosis may be associated with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss.
Tooth loss before age 35 may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health. Isn’t it worth getting braces or Invisalign to feel good as well as look good?

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Disclosure: I’m a member of the Invisalign Teen Mom Advisory Board. I’m receiving complimentary treatment from Invisalign, but all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

Can straightening your teeth improve your health? is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Shaklee Vitalizer Women and Stress Relief Complex review

2012-01-29T19:52:38Z

I’ve been a fan of Shaklee products since I purchased their Get Clean® Starter Kit a few years ago after Oprah recommended it on her show. My friend, Renee is a Shaklee independent distributor (all links here go to her website), so I was happy to support her business by buying a product that is environmentally friendly and works well. I use their Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate on a daily basis to keep my kitchen and bathrooms clean.

Recently, Shaklee sent me their Vitalizer™ Women and Stress Relief Complex* to try out and review. I’ve been taking them both for about two weeks now and like them so far. I haven’t had any miraculous results, not that I expected any as I’ve always been a regular supplement taker. However, I find taking both supplements very easy to do and full of ingredients I find important in a daily supplement package.

Quality, individualized ingredients

Shaklee is the only multi-nutrient supplement pack in the marketplace with S.M.A.R.T.™, a patent-pending delivery system designed to improve absorption of key nutrients, ensuring the right nutrients get to the right place at the right time.

Vita-Lea® Advanced Multivitamin: Micro-coated for immediate release in stomach to enhance absorption of folic acid.
Caroto-E-Omega: Enteric coating for release in the upper intestine to reduce fishy aftertaste.
B+C Complex: Sustained release delivery to the small intestine; clinically shown to provide up to 198% greater absorption of B vitamins over 12 hours.
Optiflora® Probiotic: Triple-layer encapsulation protects the live cultures against harmful stomach acid for release in lower intestine.

I’m a firm believer that you must take a daily probiotic, a gender based multivitamin, Omega-3s, B vitamins for energy, and a daily C vitamin – all of which Vitalizer Woman has. It also contains calcium, though I wish it 1000g not 500g. Vitalizer Woman also has good stuff like a triple berry blend, cranberry extract, lycopene and lutein. You can download and read the label here for the full ingredient list.

I liked the Stress Relief Complex, too, though I’m not sure I’ve seen immediate results as I’m especially stressed out these days due to our still impending move to the East Coast. Still, Shaklee claims that Stress Relief Complex helps relax the body and mind, and promotes alertness while enhancing the body's ability to adapt to everyday stress. Sounds good to me. The supplement contains L-theanine, ashwagandha, beta sitosterol, and L-tyrosine. You can download and read the label here.

Also, Vitalizer and Stress Relief Complex are gluten free and kosher.

Convenience

What that stood out for me besides quality, individualized ingredients and is that all Vitalizer supplements (there’s versions for men and seniors) come in convenient Vita-Strip packs. This is perfect for busy women and moms who are on the go. You can easily put your day’s pack in your purse or briefcase to take with you to a breakfast meeting.

I especially like them because they’re perfect for traveling. All you need to do is take the number of packets you need for your trip. There’s no need to make individual snack baggies of supplements to put in your carry on. Also, the Stress Relief Complex bottle is super small and easy to take with you on the go, too.

Cost

I’m sure at first Shaklee supplements seem very pricey, especially if you buy store brand supplements. Vitalizer sells for $93.25 retail and members pay $79.25 for a 30-day supply. However, if you’re buying several bottles of quality supplements to meet all your needs, it’s probably not that much of a difference.

I’m a Shaklee member and have found that getting a membership is worth it if you love Shaklee products and plan to buy them on a regular basis. Membership is $19.95, but currently you can get that waived when you buy Vitalizer. Also, as a member, you can save an additional 10% when you sign up for auto ship. Click here for details.

Shaklee products also have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If for any reason a Shaklee Product is not satisfactory, return it to your Shaklee Independent Distributor or Shaklee Corporation for exchange or full refund.

You can learn more about Shaklee Corporation here and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

What daily supplements do you take for your health and wellness?

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Disclosure: Please note that these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Shaklee sent me their products to facilitate this review. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Shaklee Vitalizer Women and Stress Relief Complex review is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Weight loss, food, health and fitness coupon codes for 1/27/12

2012-01-29T20:52:01Z

As part of my mission to help my readers save money while losing weight and getting healthy, here are a few discount coupon codes that may help you reach your health, weight and fitness goals.

Please take note that some of these deals end on January 31, so don’t wait and miss out!

RetailMeNot savings

Weight Watchers online coupon: Weight Watchers - Sign up now for the 3-Month Savings Plan and save $29.95. Code automatically applied through link. Offer ends 1/31/12.
Weight Watchers online coupon: Weight Watchers - Save 30% on your first month (in participating areas). Unlimited Meetings & Free eTools. Get the details!
24 Hour Fitness printable coupon: 24 Hour Fitness FREE 7-DAY PASS.
24 Hour Fitness online coupon code: 24 Hour Fitness Buy 3, 50-minute Personal Training Sessions for Only $129. Hurry Offer Expires 1/31.
24 Hour Fitness online sale: 24 Hour Fitness 50% Off Oh Yeah Bars.
Vitamin Shoppe online sale: Vitamin Shoppe Muscle Builders Pre-Workout Sale - Save up to 48%! - Exp: 01/31/12.
Vitamin Shoppe online discount: Vitamin Shoppe Free Shipping on Orders Over $25 - Hurry, this offer expires 01/31/2012.
Vitamin Shoppe online sale: Vitamin Shoppe New Year, New You! - Training Essentials for all your Workout Needs - Save up to 42% -- Expires 01/31/2012
Biggest Loser Club: The Biggest Loser Club Biggest Loser Club: Join today at a Special Introductory Price and get 3 FREE BOOKS! *Official Site*
Jillian Michaels: Jillian Michaels Online Fitness Program: TVs toughest fitness guru wants you to lose weight with a free plan
Drugstore.com online coupons: Drugstore Instant Coupons on dozens of items!
Safeway: Safeway Get Free Delivery for first time customers for your Home or Business

You can go to my Online Coupons Code page for more coupons, too!

SavingStar digital ecoupons

Sign up for a free SavingStar account today and get eCoupons. You can read my review of SavingStar here.

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Disclosure: All links to RetailMeNot and SavingStar are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their websites.

Weight loss, food, health and fitness coupon codes for 1/27/12 is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Dream Big for Africa with Katharine McPhee and Malaria No More

2012-01-26T04:06:39Z

Every 45 seconds a child dies from malaria. It doesn’t have to be this way as malaria is both preventable and treatable. That’s why I’m joining Mom Bloggers for Social Good in supporting Malaria No More's Dream Big for Africa campaign.

Malaria No More’s mission is simple: to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015. The world has known how to beat this disease for more than a century, yet it remains the number one killer of children under five in sub-Saharan Africa, claiming 781,000 lives a year. Proven items like a $10 insecticide-treated bed net will protect a mother and child from the mosquito bites that transmit the disease. This means that an individual can have a direct impact in the life of someone vulnerable to malaria. All it takes is $10 to buy a bed net and save a life.

This is why Smash star Katharine McPhee has joined the fight by making Malaria No More her charity of choice in 2012 and by hosting a contest to give one supporter the chance to accompany her on a trip to Africa with Malaria No More! While there, you and Katharine will help distribute life-saving mosquito nets and malaria medication.

How to enter the Dream for Africa contest

Text "DREAM" to 85944 right now to make a $10 donation to Malaria No More for a chance to travel to Africa with actress Katharine McPhee*. After making a donation, you'll be directed to an online form to complete your entry.
Fill out this form to complete your entry. We need your information so we have a way to contact you if you're chosen as a finalist and winner.
Look out for an email from us. If you're chosen as a finalist and winner, we will need you to take immediate actions.

Prize

An action-packed trip to Africa with Smash star Katharine McPhee. You may travel to up to two African countries where you'll have a chance to hang out with the star, learn about malaria, and take part in life-saving activities. This trip will occur at the end of March 2012.

Deadlines

The contest will close on Wednesday, February 16 at 11:59pm EST.
Semi-finalists will be notified on Friday, February 18 and asked to complete additional entry requirements by the following Friday, February 24.
One winner will be chosen and announced on Monday, February 26.
Trip to Africa to take place at the end of March 2012.

Click here to view the Official Campaign Rules.

* A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your pre-paid balance. Message and Data Rates May Apply. All charges are billed and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. By participating you certify that you agree to the terms and conditions and you are 18 years or older or have parental permission. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Donations are collected for the benefit of Malaria No More by the Innovative Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at igfn.org/t. Privacy Policy: igfn.org/p. Text STOP to 85944 to stop; Text HELP to 85944 for help.

Dream Big for Africa with Katharine McPhee and Malaria No More is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Wordless Wednesday: Johnson’s Corner Restaurant’s world famous cinnamon rolls #wordlesswednesday

2012-01-25T19:36:38Z

Sometimes I take my kids out to eat things that aren’t good for them as a special treat. It blew my kids’ minds that I actually let them order a cinnamon roll as big as a baby’s head. I’m full of all kinds of surprises.

Learn more about Johnson’s Corner Restaurant, Bakery and Truckstop.

Wordless Wednesday: Johnson’s Corner Restaurant’s world famous cinnamon rolls #wordlesswednesday is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!